The Vumbura Concession’s flagship camp, within the northern reaches of the Okavango Delta
Each camp has an open-sided lounge, dining area, bar, viewing deck, fire-pit, and in-tent massage on request
Two separate camps, with fourteen tented suites between them, each with a private veranda and plunge pool
Game drives, boating, mokoro excursions, guided walks, birding, catch and release fishing, and helicopter trips
Wilderness Vumbura Plains provides an exciting range of land- and water-based activities. Please note that some of these depend on weather conditions and/or guide availability, as shown by an asterisk below:
These take place in the morning and afternoon. Drives cover a lot of ground, traversing the plains of the 60,000-hectare Vumbura Concession to provide some high-quality wildlife viewing. Highlights include four of the Big Five – lion, leopard, elephant, and buffalo! You can also look out for smaller predators and herbivores, such as cheetah, spotted hyena, wild dog, giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, and antelopes.
Head out after sunset for sightings of the concession’s nocturnal species, including leopard, porcupine, and the elusive pangolin.
Explore the waterways of the Vumbura Concession on an exhilarating motorboat trip. There’s plenty of wildlife to soak up, not least hippo, Nile crocodile, and myriad water birds.
A gentler, quieter experience than motor boating, the mokoro dug-out canoe experience is unique to the Okavango Delta and an unmissable highlight. Led by an experienced poler who steers at the front of the boat, you’ll feel the world slow down as you glide along the network of channels, home to a spectacular assortment of wildlife, big and small. From tiny green frogs and brightly coloured bee-eaters to elephants congregating along the banks, the mokoro activity brings a whole new dimension to safari.
In the company of a knowledgeable and experienced guide, take to the bush on foot and observe the concession’s plants, insects, and birdlife. Sometimes, it’s possible to track big game too.
Wilderness Little Vumbura has basic equipment available for guest use. You could spend an entire afternoon fishing on the tranquil waterways around camp, catching and releasing pike and bream.
The birdlife at Wilderness Vumbura Plains is exceptional throughout the year, with endless species, including lilac-breasted rollers, carmine bee-eaters, secretary birds, and the Pel’s fishing owl. In the summer months, dedicated birders might come across wattled crane, slaty egret, chirping cisticola, fan-tailed widowbird, pink-backed pelican, and rosy-throated longclaw.
Few experiences compare to an aerial safari over the Okavango Delta with its meandering waterways and seemingly never-ending plains. Please note that helicopter safaris incur an additional cost.
Take to the bush with an Olympus photographer, who’ll capture all the highlights of your wildlife safari.
*This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course.
Access to Wilderness Vumbura Plains is by light aircraft with flights to Vumbura Airstrip from Maun and all other regional camps and lodges. From the airstrip, it’s approximately 35 minutes by car plus a 5-minute boat ride to the camp.
The communal buildings feature partly covered dining spaces, open-sided lounge areas, and well-stocked bars, where you can help yourself to a range of alcoholic and soft drinks.
Bar
In-tent massage
Fire-pit
With its sensational panoramic views, the main deck at Wilderness Vumbura Plains is a real show-stopper, and its fire-pit provides a great spot for gathering with other guests to swap safari stories. In each corner of the camp, you’ll see contributions from and tributes to the local community and their traditions. Local craftspersons have been instrumental in creating the interiors, artwork, and furniture. Be sure to look up at the light fittings, as some are made from baskets woven by staff and others fashioned from traditional fish traps. While there isn’t a dedicated spa, guests can request in-tent massage treatments at an additional cost.
Wilderness Vumbura Plains consists of two almost identical, separately located camps – North Camp and South Camp – with 14 well-spaced suites between them.
Private plunge pool
Indoor and outdoor shower
Flush toilet
Overhead fan
Mosquito net
Charging station
Binoculars
Tea-and-coffee station
Mini-bar
Vumbura Plains North offers six suites plus two family units, and Vumbura Plains South has six suites but no family accommodation. Enormous wooden decks, with private plunge pools and salas, are designed to maximise the stunning views. The light-flooded floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides of the suites create an impressive flow of indoor-outdoor space. Each suite features a slightly split level with a raised platform where the enormous double bed (or twin beds if requested) sits beneath an oversized mosquito net. Lofty double-height thatched ceilings add to the feeling of open space. Behind the bed is a shelving unit with lighting, a charging station, plug points, and plenty of storage space. The large en-suite bathroom includes a flush toilet, twin washbasins, and an open-plan shower on the same level as the bedroom area. There is also an outdoor shower for those who wish to prolong their time outside surrounded by nature. A few steps down from the bedroom, the lounge offers a comfortable seating arrangement facing the front deck. Other in-room amenities include an overhead fan, mosquito repellent, binoculars, umbrellas, a tea-and-coffee station, a mini-bar, a safe, a hairdryer, dressing gowns, and a selection of toiletries. At Wilderness Vumbura Plains North, the two family units can each accommodate four guests in two spacious en-suite bedrooms. Both bedrooms have separate entrances and share an outdoor deck and private plunge pool.
Shinde Camp is an authentically classic wilderness camp in a private northern Okavango Delta concession, owned and run by Ker & Downey Botswana. This company is notable for its standards of excellence and for providing superb safaris while conserving the…
Located within the Vumbura Concession, on an idyllically remote private island, Wilderness Little Vumbura is a delightful little camp in an area that attracts a diverse spectacle of wildlife. Nestled within 148,000 acres of pristine wilderness, the ancient…
In the forested southern reaches of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, Wilderness Chitabe is located within its own private concession, bordered by Moremi Game Reserve to the north, just across the Gomoti Channel. Though largely dry and forested, this is prime…
We’ve always been fans of Kwara. Owned and operated by Kwando Safaris, this year-round permanent lagoon-facing camp provides a great range of activities in a wildlife-rich part of the Okavango Delta, with a strong focus on predator sightings. Bordering…
Set in a previously unexplored part of Botswana, in pristine land that has only just opened up for conservation, Wilderness Mokete is a pioneering, luxurious tented camp – the only one in the area – with nine tented suites and all the world-class guiding,…
In the far north of Botswana’s vast, wildlife-dense Okavango Delta, Wilderness Vumbura Plains consists of two spacious camps on raised decks within the 60,000-hectare Vumbura Plains Private Wilderness Area. Surrounded by vast floodplains, pristine waterways,…
This exclusive island retreat in the beautiful Sekwana Concession in the north of the Okavango Delta is the latest superb offering from Natural Selection, one of the premier safari companies in Botswana. This semi-private concession is home to fantastic…
Splash Camp delivers family-friendly accommodation within the Okavango Delta’s stunning 175,000-hectare Kwara Private Concession, bordering Moremi Game Reserve. There’s a private space for exclusive-use groups, ideal for those travelling with young…
